The top-4 SEC showdown between South Carolina women’s basketball and Texas wasn’t pretty, with both teams combining for 42 turnovers, but the Gamecocks were able to grind out a win.
No. 2-ranked South Carolina defeated No. 4 Texas 68-65 on Thursday, Jan. 15, at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina, to hand the Longhorns back-to-back losses for the first time since November 2022.
It wasn’t the prettiest win for South Carolina. The Gamecocks had 20 turnovers and their 68 points marked their fourth-lowest total of the season, but it was enough to earn a conference win that’ll likely have seeding implications later in the season. South Carolina and Texas split the regular season series, 1-1, with the Gamecocks winning four of the last six meetings dating back to last season.
The Gamecocks went on a 9-2 run to take a 64-59 lead with 53 seconds remaining in regulation, marking South Carolina’s largest lead of the game. A layup from Texas forward Madison Booker cut Texas’ deficit to three points with 44.8 left, but South Carolina guard Raven Johnson hit a pull-up jumper to push the lead back to 66-61 with 23.2 remaining. Booker got another quick layup and both teams traded a pair of free throws, but the Longhorns weren’t able to knock down a 3-pointer when they needed it most. Texas finished 1-of-9 from the 3-point line.
Joyce Edwards finished with a team-high 14 points. Tessa Johnson added 13 points, Ta’Niya Latson recorded 12 points and Raven Johnson had 10 points. Raven Johnson scored or assisted on 12 of South Carolina’s 20 fourth quarter points.
Booker finished with a game-high 24 points for Texas, while guard Rori Harmon added 16 points. Texas guard Jordan Lee, who fouled out with 2:02 remaining, finished with 10 points.
USA TODAY Sports provided live updates for Thursday’s SEC showdown between Texas and South Carolina:
Texas vs. South Carolina highlights
End of Q3: Texas 49, South Carolina 48
Points have been hard to come by in this SEC showdown and Texas has a one-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Madison Booker has a team-high 16 points, while Rori Harmon is up to 14 points. Texas is shooting 46% from the field, but their turnover woes have continued. Texas is up to 19 turnovers, which surpasses their previous season-high (17) set in a loss to LSU on Jan. 11.
Ta’Niya Latson is the only player to reach double-digits for South Carolina, but the Gamecokcs’ bench is outscoring Texas’ 9-3. South Carolina is up to 18 turnovers. The Gamecocks’ season-high is 20 turnovers.
Halftime: Texas 32, South Carolina 32
We’re all tied up after the first half. Texas entered Thursday’s SEC matchup with the second-fewest turnovers in the nation with 10.5 per game. In the first half vs. South Carolina, the Longhorns are already up to 14 turnovers.
South Carolina has capitalized on Texas’ mishaps and scored 14 points off turnovers. The Gamecocks haven’t played the prettiest brand of basketball either. South Carolina is up to 10 turnovers.
Rori Harmon has a team-high 12 points for Texas. Madison Booker was held scoreless in the second quarter and remains at seven points. Meanwhile, Joyce Edwards, Tessa Johnson, Madina Okot and Ta’Niya Latson each have six points for the Gamecocks.
Both teams are struggling from beyond the arc. Texas is 0-of-3 while South Carolina’s sole 3-pointer came from Tessa Johnson to start the game. The Gamecocks are 1-of-4 from 3.
End of Q1: Texas 20, South Carolina 13
Texas went on a 8-1 run to close the first quarter with a 20-13 lead over South Carolina. The one-two punch of Madison Booker (7) and Rori Harmon (6) have combined for 13 of Texas’ 20 points. Harmon was limited to six points in the Longhorns’ Nov. 27 win over South Carolina.
Thirteen points marks South Carolina’s lowest scoring first quarter of the season. Joyce Edwards and Tessa Johnson each have four points, but the Gamecocks didn’t score a field goal in the final eight minutes of the quarter. They shot 3-of-13 from the field and 1-of-3 from the 3-point line in the first quarter, finishing with more turnovers (6) than field goals.
Alicia Tournebize makes South Carolina debut
South Carolina forward Alicia Tournebize checked into Thursday’s game with 5:55 remaining in the first quarter as the Gamecocks trailed by one point. The 6-foot-7 forward played professionally in France for a few years before announcing she would join the Gamecocks in December. Tournebize, 18, arrived in Columbia, South Carolina, on Jan. 1 and has been practicing since Jan. 6, according to the Greenville News.
Tournebize was subbed out at the 3:41 mark after picking up a foul in two minutes of work.
Texas has early lead over South Carolina
We’re underway in Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina. It’s been a low scoring affair so far, with Texas holding a 12-10 lead over South Carolina with 3:41 remaining in the first quarter. Turnovers have been plaguing both teams to start. South Carolina has five turnovers, while Texas is up to four.
What time is South Carolina vs. Texas?
The No. 2 South Carolina Gamecocks host the No. 4 Texas Longhorns on Thursday, Jan. 15 at 7 p.m. ET at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina.
South Carolina vs Texas women’s basketball: TV, streaming
Date: Thursday, Jan. 15
Time: 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT)
Location: Colonial Life Arena (Columbia, South Carolina)
TV: ESPN2
Stream: Fubo, ESPN Unlimited
Texas women’s basketball starting lineup
G Rori Harmon
G Jordan Lee
F Madison Booker
F Justice Carlton
F Breya Cunningham
South Carolina women’s basketball starting lineup
G Tessa Johnson
G Raven Johnson
G Ta’Niya Latson
F Joyce Edwards
C Madina Okot
Texas coach Vic Schaefer not happy with schedule
Texas dropped its first loss of the season to LSU and it doesn’t get any easier for the Longhorns, as they travel to No. 2 South Carolina Thursday. Coach Vic Schaefer voiced his displeasure with the schedule.
‘They obviously have a vendetta against Texas because not only have we started in the league, and I get to play South Carolina twice last year, this year, I get LSU twice,’ Schaefer said.’I have to play South Carolina on the road this year, as well as LSU. I get them back-to-back in the same week. Now, make that make sense.’
South Carolina women’s basketball adds French prospect
The No. 2-ranked South Carolina women’s basketball team will have a new addition when it takes on No. 4 Texas on Thursday night. Alicia Tournebize will be available to play, coach Dawn Staley confirmed on Wednesday.
The 6-foot-7 forward played professionally in France for a few years before announcing she would join the Gamecocks in December. Tournebize, 18, arrived in Columbia, South Carolina, on Jan. 1 and has been practicing since Jan. 6, according to the Greenville News. She warmed up with South Carolina before they beat Georgia 65-43 on Sunday, but didn’t take the court. Read Mitchell Northam’s full story here.
South Carolina women’s basketball roster
South Carolina women’s basketball: Keys to win
Meghan Hall: For South Carolina, it has to be utilizing defensive pressure to dictate how fast the team wants to play in transition. The Gamecocks excel at forcing turnovers and turning it into quick points on the other end.
Cydney Henderson: The Gamecocks need to find production from its bench. South Carolina’s bench was limited to two points in their loss to Texas on Nov. 27.
Texas women’s basketball roster
Texas women’s basketball: X factors
Texas G Rori Harmon: Harmon was benched in the fourth quarter during the Longhorns’ loss to LSU. She was 1-of-7 from the field during the game. That cannot happen in back-to-back matchups, let alone during SEC play against No. 2 South Carolina. Harmon didn’t have a great shooting day when these two teams played on Nov. 27, but she did have the game-winning basket and nine assists. If her shot isn’t falling, she’s got to find other ways to contribute. — Meghan Hall
Texas G Jordan Lee: Lee finished with a team-high 19 points in Texas’ first meeting against South Carolina in November and the Longhorns will need similar production, especially if South Carolina zeros in defensively on Madison Booker and Rori Harmon. Lee has reached double-digit points in 16 of 19 games this season, including a career-high 23 points against Missouri on Jan. 1. She’s averaging a career-best 14.8 points this season, nearly a 10-point jump from her freshman campaign.
Texas C Kyla Oldacre: She tallied four points and seven rebounds in the first meeting with South Carolina. Recently, she’s played a lot better, notching double-doubles in back-to-back games, including a performance where she scored 23 points in 20 minutes against Auburn. These games between the Gamecocks and the Longhorns are often decided in the paint, and Oldacre having a great outing could be what gets Texas its second straight win in the series. — Mitchell Northam
Texas women’s basketball: Keys to victory
What are you watching for in this game? What’s going to be the key to a victory?
Meghan Hall: Texas is hard to beat when forward Madison Booker and Rori Harmon get their two-person game going early. Booker also anchors the Longhorns defensively; I’d like to see her cause disruption early and get her teammates involved.
Cydney Henderson: Texas must limit their turnovers if they want to avoid a second consecutive loss. The Longhorns surrendered a season-high 17 turnovers against LSU — Madison Booker had six — which led to 14 points for the Tigers. The sloppiness was uncharacteristic for Texas, which has the highest turnover margin in the nation (13.79) and records the second-fewest turnovers in the country (10.5 per game). The Longhorns must avoid self-inflicted wounds against South Carolina’s stout defense.
Mitchell Northam: These two teams combined for 3-of-13 shooting from 3-point land in the first meeting. While strong interior play has led the Gamecocks and Longhorns to a lot of victories, if someone gets hot from behind the arc, it could determine who wins. Jordan Lee of Texas is shooting 38% from deep in her last five games, while Tessa Johnson and Ta’Niya Latson are both making north of 40% of their 3-pointers on the season.
USA TODAY Sports’s coaches poll: Texas falls, LSU rises
Texas dropped to No. 4 in the USA TODAY Sports women’s college basketball poll after suffering its first loss of the season Sunday, Jan. 11 to LSU.
The Tigers moved up six spots in the poll, from No. 12 to No. 6 after the victory. UConn continues to hold down the top spot in the poll followed by South Carolina, UCLA, Texas and Vanderbilt.
NCAA women’s basketball games to watch
What other clash will you have an eye on Thursday?
Meghan Hall: The No. 7 Kentucky Wildcats are currently without starter Teonni Key, due to an elbow injury. The Wildcats dropped a game against unranked Alabama, 64-51, and then won a Jan. 11 matchup to beat No. 12 Oklahoma, 63-57. Kentucky’s up-and-down play bears watching as they host guard Liv McGill, fifth in scoring in the nation (23.4 points a game), and the Florida Gators.
Cydney Henderson: I have my eyes on No. 6 LSU and No. 12 Oklahoma. The Sooners are looking to bounce back from back-to-back conference losses to Ole Miss and Kentucky. LSU has been there and done that. The Tigers dropped two consecutive SEC matchups to Kentucky and Vanderbilt, before getting back in the win column with wins against Georgia and an undefeated Texas team. Oklahoma coach Jennie Baranczyk said Sunday’s matchup against LSU will be a “fork in the road” and called out her team’s “energy, toughness and togetherness.” That approach worked for Kim Mulkey. It remains to be seen if Baranczyk’s rallying cry will work for Oklahoma.
Mitchell Northam: Louisville is going for its 10th consecutive win when it travels to South Bend to face Notre Dame. Meanwhile, the Irish are coming off an impressive double-digit home victory over North Carolina. A win for Hannah Hidalgo and her squad could signal Notre Dame is indeed a contender for the ACC title. A road victory for Louisville would solidify their place atop the conference standings.
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